Dive Brief:
- Sheetz has revealed plans to open its first convenience stores in the Asheville, North Carolina, market, a company spokesperson confirmed via email.
- The first store is expected to open sometime in 2024, the spokesperson noted. Sheetz is currently in the planning process for three stores in the area, with the goal of eventually opening “five stores in Asheville within the next few years,” the spokespersony said.
- Since opening its first store in North Carolina in 2004, Sheetz has grown its footprint in the Tar Heel State to about 30 locations, according to its website.
Dive Insight:
Sheetz’s move into Asheville will mark its westernmost push in North Carolina. Most of its stores in the state are located near Greensboro, Burlington, Durham, Raleigh and Winston-Salem. Sheetz will continue working with local officials and the community as it aims for five Asheville-area stores in the coming years, the spokesperson said.
Each location will feature a “restaurant-style experience” with self-service kiosks as well as both indoor and outdoor seating, the spokesperson noted. Stores will also include several fueling positions and electric vehicle charging ports, drive-thrus, car washes and more.
These locations will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, according to the spokesperson.
Sheetz’s latest announcement underscores its broader expansion plans, which include new stores in multiple states. The convenience retailer has outlined plans to open its first Michigan locations — expected in 2025 in the Detroit area — and grow in several parts of Ohio, including opening its first stores in Toledo and additional locations in the Columbus and Dayton markets.
Sheetz is also building a new distribution center in Findlay, Ohio. The location is expected to create 700 jobs in the next five years and is slated to open in 2026.
Altoona, Pennsylvania-based Sheetz owns and operates about 700 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland.
